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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26745343">Fatherhood</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/catfishkid/pseuds/catfishkid'>catfishkid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Ball</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bonding, Bromance, Cute, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Parent Child Bonding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:26:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,174</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26745343</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/catfishkid/pseuds/catfishkid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Occasionally they play nice and speak to each other. One shot. Vegeta and Goku discuss being a parent.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bra Briefs &amp; Vegeta</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fatherhood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Quick one shot that I typed up on the bus to work! :) Although I do like the idea that Goku and Vegeta sometimes just y’all like this about life and put the world to rights. I might add other short chapters about their occasional discussions! Let me know if you’d be interested. Also apologies for any grammar/spelling mistakes - like I said wrote this quickly on the bus to work this morning!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“She’s cute.”</p><p>Vegeta could sense Goku was approaching, but for once didn’t express utter dismay.</p><p>“Looks a lot like Bulma.” The slightly younger Saiyan continued as he reached Vegeta’s side. He looked down at the sleeping baby in Vegeta’s arms with the ever present goofy grin spread across his face.</p><p>“You’re really lucky, Vegeta.”</p><p>“Lucky?”</p><p>“Yeah, kids are fun as they grow up. Don’t you think?”</p><p>“How would you know?” Vegeta scoffed with his own smirk now present. “You spent most of Gohan’s childhood dead and then there’s Goten-“</p><p>“Okay okay,” Goku chuckled, “I was there for the first few years of Gohan’s life and I’m making things up with Goten now plus there’s Pan and let me tell you, she’s just got so much energy it’s amazing.” There was a brief silence before Goku continued. “You know, the concept of becoming a father didn’t really sink in until I held Gohan for the first time and then what Chi Chi had been saying about cutting back on training and spending time with him didn’t seem so bad. I guess there weren’t really any threats back then, but it was nice.”</p><p>Vegeta looked down at Bra and then at Goku. A sigh escaped his lips as he knew he was about to over share, although he wouldn’t admit it out loud Goku was the closest thing to a peer that he had to talk to on the odd occasion. “I didn’t have that with Trunks,” he admitted. “I tried after The Cell Games, but I think it was too late. He would just cry or be irritating.”</p><p>“That’s kinda what babies do.”</p><p>“I know, but I was stupid. I let it frustrate me. Physically I was there to appease Bulma, but mentally not at all.”</p><p>Goku sheepishly kicked the ground, it seemed he didn’t really know how to respond, “that’s hard, dude.”</p><p>“It’s my own fault.” Vegeta shrugged. “And I regret it.”</p><p>“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Trunks worships you and you’re a good guy now.”</p><p>“Urgh.” Attributing the words ‘good guy’ to Vegeta still made him cringe no matter how true they were.</p><p>He thought back to a few months ago when Trunks has asked about his past, Vegeta couldn’t bring himself to look the boy in eye and tell him the truth so dismissed him. Trunks had known Vegeta was once a ‘bad guy’ but not to what degree. He and Bulma had decided not to discuss Vegeta’s villainous past with their son until he was older, much older, but that didn’t stop everyone else making the odd joke or remark about that Saiyan Prince’s history and Trunks was very observant and very smart. Vegeta knew that he’d have to have <em>that</em> discussion with the boy much sooner than anticipated.</p><p>Vegeta sighed and the tiny human in his arms squirmed slightly, she was clearly still fast asleep but Vegeta held her a little tighter anyway. He’d also have to tell her one day too.</p><p>“I have to apologise, Kakarot.”</p><p>“For what?”</p><p>“I did,” Vegeta took a deep breath, “I did despicable things to your son, Gohan, I can’t take back but I am sorry.”</p><p>There was a silence. Vegeta could see Goku’s jaw clench, as forgiving and kind hearted as he was the thought of any harm coming to his children was angering and heart breaking. Vegeta could relate, hence his sudden apology.</p><p>The silence continued until Goku relaxed, his hand coming up to rest on Vegeta’s shoulder. “It’s been a long time since then. Like I said, you’ve changed.”</p><p>The hand on him felt almost like reassurance, like the reassurance he craved every night when Bulma would sleepily kiss his cheek and murmur she loved him, even though it was rare he’d say it back. Like the reassurance when his son would look at him with complete awe and exclaim that he wanted to be just like him when he grew up. Or even just the reassurance he felt when the small bundle in his arms would curl up closely to him.</p><p>He was still a proud man, sometimes for the wrong reasons, but Goku was right he was different now, everything was so different now.</p><p>Suddenly the baby started to squirm more, he looked down as her eyes slowly opened. She absently looked around before gurgling and flailing her tiny arms. Had Goku not been there he would’ve kissed her forehead and whispered some sort of hello which he always did despite feeling instantly stupid knowing that she couldn’t understand.</p><p>“Oh, can I please hold her?” Goku asked enthusiastically.</p><p>Vegeta scowled, but he had no reason to say no except for selfish ones of not wanting to share his daughter so he handed her over. Goku was surprisingly careful.</p><p>Vegeta just watched, if he didn’t like seeing his child so happy and carefree he just knew he’d hate how much she seemed to like Goku. Giggling and wrapping her small hand around the saiyan’s finger, shaking it as if it was the most amusing thing in the world. Goku, unlike Vegeta, clearly didn’t care that he had an audience when it came to baby talk as he spoke to little Bulla as if he was going to get a reply.</p><p>“It’s feeding time,” Vegeta eventually said, not a complete lie, but also an excuse to get his daughter back. He tried not to seem too eager when Goku handed her over.</p><p>“I better find Bulma.”</p><p>“Aww,” Goku frowned as they started walking over to the capsule corp complex.</p><p>“Why are you here anyway Kakarot?”</p><p>“I’ve come to pick up Goten. There’s a new sushi restaurant he’s been begging to try out so I thought it would be a nice surprise to take him this afternoon.”</p><p>“Sushi huh,” Vegeta thought aloud.</p><p>“Yeah, do you know where he is?”</p><p>“Him and Trunks were sparring in the gravity room just before I came out here.”</p><p>“Great. Thanks!”</p><p>There was brief pause as Vegeta tried to work out how to say what he wanted. Finally he just came out with it. “Trunks, can he go to the sushi restaurant too?” That’s not exactly what he wanted to say, but it was a start.</p><p>“Erm sure if he really wants to.”</p><p>“With me.”</p><p>“You mean with me and Goten?” </p><p>“Yes. That’s what I mean, can we come with you?”</p><p>“Of course, fancy a bit of father son bonding do you? This whole dad thing really is doing wonders for you.”</p><p>Vegeta cringed the words ‘father son bonding’ even though that’s exactly why he’d suggested it. “I’m only doing it to stay in Bulma’s good books. Plus the boy will be insufferable if Goten gets to do something he doesn’t.”</p><p>“Whatever you say.” Goku chuckled. Arms behind his head with a massive grin still there.</p><p>Vegeta felt his cheeks going red and he dropped a few paces behind the younger Saiyan. He looked down at Bulla who just smiled at him and he gave a small smile back.</p><p>This parenting thing. It wasn’t so bad.</p>
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